Peace Now launches boycott of settlement products

Left-wing group challenges newly passed "Boycott Law" which allows civil suits to be brought against those calling for economic boycott.

Peace Now boycott law_311.
(photo credit:Ben Hartman)

Left-wing group Peace Now on Tuesday launched a poster campaign against the
so-called “Boycott Law,” the day after the Knesset passed the controversial
legislation.

Former Meretz MK Mossi Raz: Thirty-three years ago, there was no such thing as a boycott on the settlements

But that boycott will begin now

Until the settlements are evacuated, the occupation is over and a Palestinian state is founded next to the state of Israel

This boycott must be established in the name of Israel's democracy

And also because our leaders understood [on Monday] that extremists in the Knesset dragging their feet

In order to break the tools [of Israeli democracy] and burn the democracy.

We will be on the streets in order to stop this move

Thank you to everyone who came [today]

Anyone who hasn't yet signed [the petition], please come and sign, even though we are exposed to [the risk] of being sued.

We will beat them, and the democracy will be victoriousVideo by Ben Hartman

At a rally held outside the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court to
launch the campaign, the organization displayed posters calling for citizens to
avoid purchasing products made in the settlements. All of the posters, which
displayed West Bank-made products including Tekoa mushrooms and Psagot wine, had
the tag line “Israelis won’t surrender to the Boycott Law” emblazoned across the
top.

The law, initiated by MK Ze’ev Elkin (Likud), allows for citizens to
bring civil suits against persons and organizations that call for cultural,
economic, or academic boycotts against Israel, Israeli institutions or areas
under Israeli control. The law also bans the government from doing business with
companies that support such boycotts.

Speaking before a few dozen
supporters outside the courthouse on Tuesday, former Meretz MK Mossi Raz said,
“Last night, the Knesset passed one of the most dastardly laws in the history of
the state of Israel ... the Knesset broke the tools of the Israeli democracy,
and we must now use these broken tools in order to defend Israel’s
democracy.”

Raz said that while Peace Now has never called for a boycott
against the settlements, following the passing of the boycott law the
organization “will call for a boycott of the settlements until the occupation is
over and a Palestinian state is founded next to the state of
Israel.”

When asked how the Boycott Law is worse than other controversial
laws passed this year, including the Nakba law and the acceptance committee law,
Etai Mizrav, national activities coordinator for Peace Now, said, “The
difference between this law and the other ones, is that this law is the first
time that the Knesset has come and said here is a political standpoint – being
against the settlements – which is not legally allowed.”

In regards to
what steps Peace Now plans to take in response to the new law, Mizrav said, “We
plan to call for people to not honor the law and to have a general boycott
against all products made in the settlements.”